Center support unit for bedframes



July 14,1953 N, E. BLANKE ETAL 2,

CENTER SUPPORT UNIT- ox sznmnas FiledDec. 9, 1949 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 INVENTORS NATHAN-E. BLANKE a BY HILLARD J. SANDS ATTORNEYS 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 N. E BLANKE ET AL CENTER SUPPORT UNIT FOR BEDFRAMES m an a m mm n G u m S ll 2 V B m m 2 m m m J RIIWMP WA J n m K 1 MM m V I H E u E m m m 4 u A m W M (1 B m G m u .H m {n unu HUN m 2 n" n r u\ m u j 1 a w nnwflfiw m B m L L lllxfianhfi I; LCM... U n/r 47 fl 1 9 Fm x 4 5 m I x n n nvnu nun h m 8 u n F x n 7) 5 n n g July 14, 1953 Filed Dec. 9, 1949 Patented July 14, 1953 CENTER SUPPORT UNIT FOR BEDFRQAMES Nathan E. Blanke nd Hillard J. Sands, Cleveland, Ohio, assignors to The Harvard Mannfacturing Company, Cleveland, Ohio, a corpo-' ration of Ohio ApplicatlonDecember 9, 1949, Serial No. 131,969

. This invention relates to bedframes, especially to a center support unit for extending longitudinally of a bedframe intermediatethe side rails of the frame. v p i There are many people who are not satisfied with the size and comfort offered'by conventional width double beds. These people maybe invalids who are confined in their beds, or they may be extra large people who require more space than is provided on conventional double beds, or they merely may be people that demand the maximum of comfort and convenience in their living accommodations. In all events, there is an appreciable demand for extra Width beds which necessarily means that extra width bedframes must be provided. These special beds provided may be as wide as seven feet andmattresses of such width 7 can readily be manufacturedand can easily be moved or carried into a house because the mattresses can be folded up to pass through doorways which are not of sufiicient size to permit free entry of the mattresses. However, special width springs, while they could easily be manufactured,

could not in many instances be conveniently car- I ried into a bedroom. Thus it is necessary to use two sets of springs, usually of equal size, for extra width beds so that such springs can easily be carried into a bedroom and can be moved around in a house, when desired. It has been difficult to position this pair of springs in a conventional bedframe and use of two springs may interfere with movement of the bedframe, or be otherwise objectionable. 1

The general object of the present invention is to provide a bedframe center support unit which is characterized by the ease by which such cen ter support unit can be engaged with a con-. ventional size bedframe to adapt it for use with extra width beds. o

Another object of the invention" is to provide a Claims. (Chi-1 85) relatively uncomplicated, inexpensive but sturdy center support unit for a bedframe.

Afurther object of the invention is to provide a bedframe that can be readily adaptedto engage with a center support unit toprovide a bedframe oi'adesiredwidth. V g f 1 Yet another object is to facilitate the provision and use of wide beds by providing a convenient support for a pair of boxsprings in a bed.

Yet another object of the invention is to provide means in a center support unit for a bedframe by which two separate cross rails can be securedto the center'support unit rigidly and extend therefrom in opposite, laterally extending directions.

i The foregoing and other objects and advantages of the invention will be made more apparent as the specification proceeds.

v For a better understanding of the' invention,

reference should be had to. the accompanying drawings, wherein: I

Fig. 1 is a perspective view of ,thcbedframe embodying the principles of the invention;

Fig. 2 isan end elevation of the frameof Fig. 1;

. Fig. 3 is an enlarged verticalsectiontaken on and it has side rails II and I2 extending the length thereof. A center support unit is indicated as a whole by the numeral I3Whereas a cross rail, or cross rail section [4 is secured to each of theside rails H and 12 adjacent each end thereof and extends laterally of the bedframe whereas acorresponding cross rail I5 is secured to the center support unit adjacent each endthereof and on each side thereof and extends laterally therefrom for telescoping engagement with the cross rail [4 carried by the side rails of the bedframe. Any suitable means may be used to secure the cross rails l4 and I5 in a desired adjusted. lateral relationship and clamps l6 of any suitable constructionare shown engaged with the cross rails l4 and [5 for this action. Usually the side rails and crossrails are made from metal and are usually of the shape in section of right angles. l

The center support unit l3 includes a center member I! which may be formed, as shown, from a pair of angles which may besecured together to form a substantially T member in vertical section so that the associated angles have a dependent leg provided thereby. Or one unitary anglemay be used to form the center member I! and be of either T or L shape in section and have a downwardly extending leg to which support legs can be secured. A' pair of leg supports are suitably secured to the center member I! adjacent each end thereof with one leg support being positioned on each side of the center support I1. 1 These leg supports, indicated by the taken 3 numeral l8, may be substantially U-shaped in horizontal section and may have their base sides, or sections abutted against the dependent leg on the center member l1. Any conventional means such as rivets l9 may be used to secure the leg supports 18 to the center member i1 and at the same time secure the angles forming the center member I! together. Usually it is desirable to have the frame l positioned for easy movement and to this end casters 20, glides or other suitable devices are secured to the lower portions of the leg support l8 and similar devices such as casters 2! are secured to legs 22 that are provided for the side rails II and i2 adjacent the ends thereof.

It is important that the cross rails Hi can be easily but rigidly secured to the center support member I1. Thus preferably substantially vertically extending slot 23 are formed in the longitudinally inner sides of the leg support l8 and they are adapted to engage with studs 24 that are secured to or formed on the cross rails l adjacent the ends thereof. Usually a vertically extending channel or rib 25 is formed in the base sidesof the le supports [8 adjacent each corner thereof and the correlation ofthe slots 23, studs 24 and ribs 25 is such that the cross rails l5 will be wedged tightly into the ribs 25 when the studs 24 are engaged with the slots 23 and forcibly move downwardly as far as they will go. These slots are inclined slightly inwardly of the leg supports l8 so as to wedge the endsof the cross rails up into desired fixed relationship with the inner surfaces of the leg supports it.

Fig. 2 of the invention best shows that the upper surfaces of the center member ll are horizontally aligned with the support surfaces provided on the side rails H and I2. However, the cross rails l4 and i5 are vertically positioned below such surfaces in order to. avoid any interference of such cross rails with the support action of the bedframe l0.

It should be noted that the entire center support unit i3 can be eliminated from the bedframe ill in order to provide a conventional type of bedframe support. The cross rails [4 are usually removably secured to the legs 22 in a manner similar to that in which the cross rails l5 are secured to the center members [1. Thus if .de-

sired the cross rails l4 may have other cross rails of different lengths substituted therefor to providea conventional bedfrarne. However, these cross rails l4 and l 5 may be of any desired length whereby the normal length cross rail can be used in the frame it) by merely being augmented by the extra cross rails IS in order to provide extra wide bedframe.

It should be noted that the cross rails may be of any desired construction and may be secured to their supporting members in any desired manner. However, the telescoping arrangement provided for securing these cross rails together greatly facilitates the accurate sizing of a bedframe of the invention. Also, the removability of mounting of the crossrails permits a bedframe to .be shipped in a disassembled condition to be readily assembled by a skilled worker when the bedframe is to be positioned for service. The center support unit of the invention can readily be combined with a conventional bedframe to provide an extra width bedframe. Such support unit is of sturdy but inexpensive construction and fixedly engageswith cross rails to provide a rigid bedframe so that the objects of the invention are thought to be achieved.

While one complete embodiment of the invention has been disclosed herein, it will be appreciated that modifications of this particular embodiment of the invention may be resorted to without departing from the scope of the invention as defined by the appended claims.

Having thus described our invention, what we claim is:

1. A longitudinally extending center support unit for a bedframe, said unit comprising a pair of elongated angles, each of said'angies having a dependent leg and being substantially of the length of a bedframe, means securing said angles together inpermanently fixed relation with the dependent legs abutted, a pair of leg supports secured to opposed surfaces of the dependent legs of, said angles adjacent each end thereof, the upper edges of said leg supports being below the the upper portions of said angles, support means engaged with at least one of said leg supports at each end, and a crossrail removably but rigidly secured to each of said leg supports and extend ing substantially normally from each of said angles with the cross rails at each pair of leg supports extending in opposite but aligned directions, saidleg supports including U-shaped means each of which has a laterally inner surface with a substantially vertically extending slot therein, said cross rails each having a stud securedthereto in engagement with said slot to secure a cross rail to each leg support. v

2. A bedframe center support unit comprising a substantially T-shaped in section center member, having a dependent leg, for being positioned in a longitudinal direction in a bedframe intermediate a pair of side rails, a pair of substantially U-shapecl in section support legs fixedly and immovably secured to said member at each end thereof onopposed surfaces of-said dependent leg with the base sides of the support legs being in contact therewith, tl e upper edges of said legs being abutted against the lower surface of said member to aid in supporting it, the inner sides of said supportlegs having substantially vertically s. directed slots therein, a cross rail extending from each said support legs at a uniform distance the top thereof, and a stud secured to each cross rail and engaged with a slot in each of said legs to removably secure said cross rails to said support legs.

3. In combination, a pair of bedframe side rails each of which is of right angle shape in section comprising a support leg and a limiting leg, the side rails being in spaced parallel relation, support means for said side rails positioning the support leg of each of said side rails horizontally and in the same plane and positioning the limiting leg for articles .on theside rails at the outer edge of each rail, the limiting leg extending vertically upwardly, one of said support means being engaged with each of said side rails adjacent each end thereof, a T-shape in section rail center support having an upper support surface in the plane of said support legs of said side rails and a downwardly extending positioning leg, said center support being parallel to said side rails, support means fixedly engaging opposed surfaces of said positioning leg of said center support adjacent both ends thereof for supporting said center support, a cross rail engaged at one end thereof with each of said support means below the plane of said support legs and extending transversely of the said side rails to terminate adjacent another said cross rail, and means for adjustably secur- 5 1 ing said cross rails together to complete a bedframe.

4. In combination, a pair of bedframe side rails each of which is of right angle shape in section comprising a support leg and a limiting leg, the side rails being in spaced parallel relation, support means for said side rails positioning the support leg of each of said side rails horizontally and in the same plane and positioning the limiting leg for articles on the side rails at the outer edge of each rail, the limiting leg extending vertically upwardly, a said support means being engaged with each of said side rails adjacent each end thereof, a T-shape in section rail center support made from two right angled rails permanently secured in abutted relation and having an upper support surface in the plane of said support legs and having abutted downwardly extending positioning legs, support means fixedly engaging opposed surfaces of said positioning legs of said center support adjacent the ends thereof for supporting said center support, and

6 cross rails at each end of said center support extend therefrom in opposed but aligned relation, and said cross rails engage inner surfaces of said support means.

NATHAN E. BLANKE. HILLARD J. SANDS.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 105,771 Benjamin July 26, 1870 641,542 Piniec-Mallet Jan. 16, 1900 977,671 Melander Dec. 6, 1910 1,300,533 Wessinger Apr. 15, 1919 1,842,054 Sobel Jan. 19, 1932 1,858,254 Uline May 17, 1932 1,887,551 Goble Nov. 15, 1932 2,241,552 Hopkes May 13, 1941 2,575,651 Blanke et a1. Nov. 20, 1951 FOREIGN PATENTS Number Country Date 1,135 Great'Britain of A. D1904 20,137 Great Britain of A. D. 1908 143,468 Great Britain May 27, 1920 363,730

Great Britain Dec. 21, 1931 

